What do YOU do when you can't bear your job any more?

well, i quit

seemed like a good idea at the time, but didn't take into account the economic downturn

eh, this too shall pass

Don't tempt me!!!

Hope you are in work again soon.

You know, just walking out would be so cool!

Until the next bill came in.

It's a great fantasy, though.

I think that's very normal. My job can get stressful, and that's when I feel most at ends. The key on that is for me to not take the job home. My weekends usually help me sufficiently, and then a week vacation here and there.

Have you tried massive quantities of beer?

it is absolutely normal.

Save your vacation time/sick time for those days.
Then leave for 3 or 4 days straight.
Leave the city. GO some where new. See something new. Put yourself in a new position all together and forget about things.

Seriously

Even if it means renting a small cabin across the continent just for kicks. DO IT.

I hate beer!!!


But, I confess, I am so anxious at present (I get episodes of this when I am fed up to the gills) I DID buy a bottle of excellent vodka, and I am having a dose of that medicine when I get home from work.

Lol!!! Half of that dose is still sitting in a glass by the computer, where it has been for the last 6 hours.

Yeah.....I will take some leave soon...feel like I need a year or two!!

Everyone goes through this at some point with varying solutions and results. I walked out on what other people thought was a dream job and for years I heard "I can't believe you did that". I never had a moment of regret, but that was not guaranteed when I packed up and hailed a cab.

I think the best thing to do is plan your escape. Start looking for alternatives. Tell yourself this is just a bad road to somewhere else. If you don't feel locked in you might feel better. You also might have to start caring less in general. Many people hate their job because they care about the outcome of their work. Not being in your shoes I can't tell you when to shrug your shoulders and accept the fact that you can't control everything, but at least keep in mind that you have a few options - like looking for another position.

Do you think it's your field that's the problem or just your present place of employment?

Sorry to hear this, Deb. I know what a misery it is, forcing yourself to go every morning, when you really don't want to go.

I'm wondering if part of it is because your job is full-time? A really demanding full-time job can just swallow up your life. It's a shame 4 days a week isn't really an option.

I think these particular kinds of jobs -- the human-misery ones -- have even more of these cycles. I went through several for sure. (I still have moments when I want to quit my current job though -- the stay-at-home mom gig.)

Every job I've ever had has had those moments but the ones that involved counseling had more and more severe moments.

Just pretty much got through it, yep.

Neither, really.

I mean, my field is very stressful and wearing, but also has great rewards.

My present position is fine.

I just don't want to play any more!

I'll get over it, I know it's normal...I don't need job change/career advice.....if anyone has little tricks to get through the blahs that'd be nice, though.

Or just make me laugh!

Part time is an option employer wise. I would love it.

Pretty much every goddamn bastard and their dog is part-time already! It's a bloody nightmare, actually....makes the necessary liaison with people a total pain in the arse!

My mortgage says a ringing "no" though. Sigh.

Well, here I sit typing on A2k when I should be doing paperwork, so I guess I'm not going to be much help in solving that problem. The best I can suggest is that I sometimes make a deal with myself to set a focused work time followed by something more fun. I work at home so I have a lot of options. I got up very early today to plow through the emails and then baked scones for breakfast and watched Project Runway on-line. My next deal with myself is I'm going to finish our taxes (really, I'm going to that next) and then call my mother for a chat. I guess it's the carrot and stick approach. You might actually enjoy a literal carrot for motivation.

Yeah. That's what I thought.

Bum!

Lol!!

Yes.....I used to make myself stay in the bath until I had read a certain number of papers that had to be read when I was at uni, if I couldn't make myself do it any other way!

If only it were an option at work.

I have been thinking I need to set up a simple behaviour mod system to force myself to do catch-up paper work...(I am slowly beating the current paperwork thing...)

I know you have taken a less work leap, though Msolga.

How are you finding that?

Is the stress of financial worry just replacing work stress, or is it really working for you?

(Not sure, of course, what your mortgage/super situation is.)

Seriously, Deb. I could not stand to work full-time any more. And teaching gets more & more bureaucratically nutsy every year. I would be seriously unhappy if I had to do it full-time. I've traded financial security for time. Yep, it's precarious $$$-wise, but working casually gives me the option of working when I want & saying no when I don't want. But then, I don't have a mortgage to pay off. So I'm saner & happier, but poor-ish at times. I much prefer that to the alternative.

I did that too. It was sooo worth it.

dlowan, have you thought of downsizing? Smaller house? Take in a roommate? Houses are not much fun if you are a indentured servant to them.
(back to tax prep, back to tax prep, back to...)

I retired from mine in April 2006, because of that.

I've found that job satisfaction is less about what I do, and more about who I work with (clients included). Good people make all the difference. And I've told my supervisor before that I will work with a particular customer if I have to, but I'd really prefer not to.